Friends and Family Discount returns to San Francisco Bay Ferry's Vallejo route

For the fourth consecutive year, the San Francisco Bay Ferry is offering Vallejo ferry riders a discounted weekend fare through the winter, a ferry spokesman said Wednesday.

The Friends and Family promotional fare allows groups to ride together, round trip, for $12 per person. The special discount, which has become a Vallejo ferry tradition, will be offered on weekends and holidays from Nov. 2 through Feb. 23.

It provides significant savings for groups of three to 14, ferry company spokesman Ernest Sanchez said.

"For example, an adult and two youths can travel round trip for $36 as opposed to the regular fare of $52," he said.

Only the San Francisco-Vallejo route riders are being offered this promotion, Sanchez said.

"We do promotions throughout the system all year long to raise awareness about the ferry and increase ridership in the winter months, which tends to be lower," he said. "The South San Francisco-East Bay route has a commuters promotion, for instance. It's done to generate business and give people the chance to take the ferry at a lower rate. We like to fill the seats if we can."

The San Francisco Bay Ferry is a service of the Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA). The agency serves the San Francisco Ferry Building and Pier 41/Fisherman's Wharf, South San Francisco, Alameda Main Street, Harbor Bay, Oakland Jack London Square and Vallejo, along with season service to AT&T Park and Angel Island.

Contact staff writer Rachel Raskin-Zrihen at (707) 553-6824 or rzrihen@timesheraldonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at Rachelvth.